Pacific

Strong interest in next month's Melanesian arts festival in New Caledonia

10:26 am on 11 August 2010

A Melanesian arts festival in New Caledonia next month is attracting more than a thousand participants.

Artists from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia will hold demonstrations and discussions at 10 locations around the territory for two weeks.

Adeline Beving, the festival's general delegate, says there will be a huge variety on offer.

"It's just amazing that in such a small region you can have such a large choice of costumes, of masks, of colours, of types of choreography. We have managed to organise forums, and time for exchange, about cultural policies in the area. I'm also really looking forward to hearing what new ideas people can come up with during the debate."

Adeline Beving says participants will be divided into 4 groups, and will tour 10 locations around New Caledonia.